Patternmaking for Menswear: Classic to Contemporary by Myoungok Kim and Injoo Kim is a comprehensive textbook designed for students and professionals to master the drafting of men's garments. The book is structured into three main sections:
Principles: Covers the basics of patternmaking, including tools, measurement techniques for the male anatomy, and the development of basic slopers (blocks) for both slim-fit and classic-fit styles.
Design Variations for Woven Fabrics: Detailed drafts for various garment types such as shirts, pants, casual and suit jackets, coats, and vests.
Design Variations for Knit Fabrics: Focuses on jersey knit torso slopers, tops, and knit pants. Key Features and Content
The text is noted for its modular organization, allowing readers to combine different design elements—like specific collars or pockets—to create unique, contemporary variations.
Visual Guidance: It contains over 600 images, including step-by-step pattern illustrations and photographs of finished garments on dress forms.
Fit and Sizing: Includes a section on common fit problems and their solutions, along with reference size charts and metric conversion tables. patternmaking for menswear classic to contemporary pdf
Woven & Knit Focus: Unlike many traditional tailoring books, this guide provides extensive instruction for both woven and knit fabrications. Comparison with Similar Titles Patternmaking for Menswear: Classic to Contemporary
For a comprehensive text on menswear drafting, Patternmaking for Menswear: Classic to Contemporary
by Myoungok Kim and Injoo Kim is the primary industry standard that matches your description. Key Recommended Text
Patternmaking for Menswear: Classic to Contemporary (Kim & Kim): This text is widely regarded for its modular organization, moving from basic sloper development to detailed variations for both slim-fit and classic-fit garments.
Features: It covers both woven and knit fabrics, providing step-by-step instructions for design elements like sailor collars, safari coats, and suit jackets.
Editions: A second edition is available (released through Bloomsbury) which includes new sections on gender-neutral designs and adapting patterns for diverse body types. Step 5: Digitize Your Blocks If you have
Digital Access: Official ebook/PDF versions are available through academic and retail platforms like Amazon and Bloomsbury. Alternative Essential Texts Patternmaking for Menswear: Classic to Contemporary
Title: The Architecture of Style: A Guide to Patternmaking for Menswear
Format: Extended Introduction / Chapter Excerpt from a hypothetical digital guide.
If you have the PDF and you have altered it, scan your final paper pattern back into the computer. Use Adobe Illustrator (with the "Pattern Maker" plugin) or Clo 3D. This creates your proprietary digital library.
Deconstruction and Fluidity
As we move from the classic to the contemporary, the relationship between the cloth and the body changes. The modern era has introduced the concept of the "Soft Tailoring" or "Deconstructed" garment. Part II: The Contemporary Shift Deconstruction and Fluidity
In contemporary patternmaking, the rules of ease are rewritten. Where the classic suit demanded a canvas of horsehair and wool to maintain structure, the contemporary jacket might rely on the natural drape of the fabric itself.
The Impact of Athleisure: The most significant shift in modern menswear patterning is the blending of the tailored block with the sportswear block. We no longer look solely at the suit jacket; we look at the bomber jacket, the hoodie, and the overshirt.
Minimalist Geometry: Contemporary patternmaking often embraces minimalism
Take your classic block muslin. Pin it on the dress form (or fit model). Now, using Kershaw’s modification chapter:
Try it on. You will see the garment transform from a father's suit to a GQ editor’s fit.